Khaberni - Scientists from Jilin University in China have found that some medications used to lower cholesterol in the body may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
According to the journal Frontiers in Immunology, the study conducted by the scientists showed that statins—commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs—may be linked to a decreased risk of colon and rectal cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.
During the study, scientists analyzed data from nearly 640,000 patients, gathered from seven previous studies, and compared the incidence of colon and rectal cancer among inflammatory bowel disease patients who take statins and those who do not. They found that taking these medications was associated with a decrease in the risk of colon and rectal cancer by approximately 23%.
The scientists noted that the association between statins and colon and rectal cancers was primarily evident in patients who had been taking these drugs for more than five years, suggesting a potential accumulation of these drugs and their possible anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects.
The researchers indicated that their findings could support the idea of using statins in the future as a chemopreventive agent for at-risk groups for colon and rectal cancer.
